A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Chapter 2

Teacher Induction Policy and Practice Among APEC Members: Results of the Exploratory Survey

Policies and practices promoting effective teacher induction are of growing importance to APEC members. Effective programs have a positive impact on new teachers, the schools where they work, and the students they teach.¹ Nearly all APEC members employ multipurposed and multifaceted practices to help beginning teachers in their transition into their chosen profession and to their new schools.

Eleven members responded to an exploratory survey (see Appendix B) on teacher induction practices: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, and the United States. Ten of the 11 responding members indicated the existence of a teacher induction program. Indonesia currently does not have a teacher induction program; its system of preservice and in-service education is designed to improve the quality of the teaching force as a whole, with no programs aimed specifically at beginning teachers.

While the depth of response varied from member to member, the information provided helps us to understand the basic practice of teacher induction in different APEC members. The first part of this chapter discusses the prominent features of and influences on teacher induction; the second part briefly summarizes teacher induction policy and practice in individual APEC members.

Features and Influences of Teacher Induction

General Strategies

First, the variance in the level of formality of teacher induction both among and within APEC members' programs is striking, with each program differing in the extent or depth to which it is practiced and in the amount of structure and regulation. Programs range from a formal, preservice orientation, networking, mentoring, and in-service at the provincial and school levels to an informal "welcome" arranged by school principals.

Second, both among and within APEC members, there are many different strategies implemented for teacher induction. Strategies employed, singly or in combination include: workshops, orientations, teacher meetings, observations of model classrooms, mentoring, distribution of handbooks, internships, peer probation, training, and evaluation. Program variation is illustrated in Exhibit 1, which displays preliminary information about the level of implementation, the level of formality, and the prominent strategies of teacher induction. (Discussion of specific program features follows in the section "Types of Programs and Basic Features.")

Timeframe

Goals

• Familiarize the inductees with the responsibilities of teaching and the culture of the schools where they will teach;

• Increase the competency of the inductees, by improving their professional skills;

• Screen or assess the inductees to ensure they can perform the duties of teaching and that they are an effective "match" for their particular school;

• Provide support and guidance to help smooth the inductees' transition from beginners to professionals (often a component of achieving the other goals cited above); and

• Increase retention of teachers in a particular geographic location or in a particular subject area.

Nearly all APEC members describe multiple goals for teacher induction programs, encompassed by the five above. The two most common goals cited are familiarizing the inductee with the culture and expectations of the school and increasing competency (in five and four members' programs, respectively). However, only Japan and Papua New Guinea describe goals that fall into both categories; more often, members focus almost entirely on either the school environment or general professional skills. Those APEC members that offer teacher induction primarily directed to integrate teachers into their school and role include Brunei Darussalam, Korea, and Canada. Those whose programs tend toward general professional development include Indonesia² and Chinese Taipei.

Four members cite screening and assessment as a main goal of teacher induction. In Chinese Taipei, a primary reason for the teaching internship is to "weed-out unqualified participants."³ Further, screening or "matching" is a main component of regional programs in Québec, Canada, and the Catholic Sector in Australia. Finally, assessment is a major, and sometimes the sole, function of more than half of the teacher induction programs implemented in the United States.

Four members name provision of support and guidance as a goal of their programs. Although support and guidance are often necessary for increasing competency or familiarizing beginning teachers with their school (corollary goals), they also stand alone as both an ideal and a function of four members' teacher induction programs, namely, those in Australia, Singapore, Japan, and the United States.

Finally, in Australia and Papua New Guinea, teacher induction also serves the purpose of increasing retention of teachers (e.g., in Australia's isolated areas and in Papua New Guinea, where math and science teachers are in short supply).

Authority and Financing

Authority

Because teacher induction is a complex endeavor involving several levels of governance, the issue of who has authority often is a nebulous one. At its most basic, authority may be viewed as decision-making power. In that case, the teacher induction programs of Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Chinese Taipei are primarily under member-level authority. By that same criterion, the programs of Australia, Canada, and the United States are under provincial authority; and those of Brunei Darussalam, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Singapore are under school authority. However, examining the roles that each level of governance plays in the varied efforts related to teacher induction allows a fuller understanding of the organization and authority of teacher induction in practice.

To establish and implement a teacher induction program, there are three main areas of effort. First, there must be an impetus--a mandate, recommendation, certification requirement, or system of guidance--establishing the teacher induction program (or at least the need for one). Second, organization and administration of the program must be established. Finally, implementation (the undertaking of the actual work and strategies of teacher induction) must be set in motion. For each of these efforts, different levels of governance are involved and have authority; and knowledge of that involvement is necessary to understand the practice of teacher induction as a whole.

Impetus. For six members, the impetus for teacher induction is member-level: Korea, Japan, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, and Chinese Taipei.⁴ Specifically, the first three members have a member-level mandate that requires establishing teacher induction programs. In Australia, Canada, and the United States, the impetus comes primarily from the province. The remaining members' programs spring solely from the school or school system.

Organization. Most APEC members' programs are organized at the level of either the school or province--only Japan and Chinese Taipei have member-level involvement in the administration and organization of teacher induction. Of the four members that are organized, at least in part, at the provincial level, only Korea is exclusively administered by provincial authorities; the programs of Australia, Canada, and the United States devolve some of the responsibility to the schools or jurisdictions. The remainder are organized at the school level.

Implementation. All members implement their teacher induction programs at the school or jurisdictional level, oftentimes in the classroom. However, in several members, there are additional activities implemented by other levels of governance. Japan is the sole economy whose member government plays a role in implementing an actual training session. Further, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Korea, Papua New Guinea, and the United States have activity at the provincial level. For example, Korea has in-services at the regional level before the school year begins.

Financing

Most APEC members' teacher induction programs are funded by a combination of provinces and schools--although in Korea, programs are fully funded by the provinces, and, in Singapore, programs are funded only by the schools. In New Zealand, teacher induction--support services, salaries, and registration--is funded by the member government. In Japan and Papua New Guinea, the member government financially supports some or all aspects of teacher induction programs (e.g., "on-board training" in Japan and "inspection" in Papua New Guinea). In Brunei Darussalam, there is no allocation of funds specifically for teacher induction. Exhibit 2 provides information about the authority and financing of teacher induction in APEC members.

Information on funding levels for teacher induction is scarce. In general, however, APEC members spend less than 1 percent of an education budget per inductee. APEC members commonly spend teacher induction funds on fees and training for mentors and guidance teachers; on workshops and training sessions for inductees; and on relief- or release-days for beginning teachers during induction activities.

Types of Programs and Basic Features

Methods of Teacher Induction

Mentoring. Mentoring consists of pairing veteran teachers with beginning teachers to offer guidance and support. Mentoring is one of the most widely used strategies for helping new teachers become competent professionals. Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, and the United States use mentoring as a primary teacher induction strategy, whereas the idea of mentoring is just beginning to emerge in Brunei Darussalam, Republic of Korea, or Chinese Taipei.

A typical mentoring program lasts throughout the beginning teacher's first year (the general duration of induction programs as a whole). Mentors are largely senior teachers with several years’ experience and respected reputations, although principals and department heads may also be mentors. Over half of the members who use mentoring provide limited training for some mentor teachers. These members (Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, and the United States) offer guidance through workshops and handbooks. In some cases, the provision of training for mentors is a program mandate; in others, it is either necessitated by challenging work environments or implemented at the discretion of the individual jurisdictions financing the program.

Few programs provide direct incentives for experienced or excellent teachers to become mentors. Some programs in Australia and the United States offer a financial bonus or stipend for teachers who take on the responsibility of mentoring. Also, mentor teachers in Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea are more likely to receive promotions resulting from their mentorship. In a few instances, mentoring is viewed simply as an expectation of the career structure of teaching and an opportunity for the mentor's own professional development.

Workshops, In-Services, and Trainings. Instructional sessions comprise a second, widely used strategy for inducting beginning teachers into their profession. Although different members use different terminology to describe such instructional sessions, they encompass any activities intended to inform and professionally develop teachers, such as workshops, seminars, in-service training, meetings, and external training activities. Seven members use these activities to instruct new teachers: Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, and the United States.

These instructional sessions occur several times both before and throughout a new teacher's tenure. The subject matter, structure, and personnel involved differ from program to program. University professors, teachers, department heads, principals, and local, regional, or national administrators conduct these activities, with subjects including curriculum design, school policy, teaching strategies, and innovative education practices.

Several APEC members employ a multi-tiered approach to such informative and practical trainings. For instance, in Papua New Guinea, there is a "National In-Service Week," during which schools and individual departments devote several days to in-services for beginning teachers. In Korea and Chinese Taipei, local government and tertiary faculty conduct workshops to inform teachers on local school policies and practice. Korea uses "teacher meetings" as a forum for beginning teachers to discuss the recent literature in their field. Finally, Japan uses an extensive outside training program, with all teachers attending four- to five-day training excursions and weekly seminars, and a select number attending a member-organized and –funded "on-board training," which offers advanced workshops to specially recommended teachers.

Focus of Teacher Induction

• teaching methods,

• curriculum content,

• classroom management,

• advice to students, and

• school policies.

Other, less frequent topics include working with parents, handling administrative tasks, screening, integrating teachers, retaining teachers, and developing ethical and professional standards.

Links to Higher Education

Participation

Several other members whose programs are provincially administered and implemented mandate the participation of all teachers in that province. For instance, Québec mandates a two-year probationary period for all beginning teachers; and the Northern Territory and Capitol Territory of Australia, as well as such U.S. states as Connecticut, Florida, and Indiana, require that all beginning teachers participate in induction activities. (In Australia, overall, 75 to 100 percent of beginning teachers in most provinces participate in an induction program.) In Singapore, although no level of jurisdiction mandates a teacher induction program, most teachers are involved in such activities.

Additionally, Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and the United States note that participation in teacher induction programs includes not only teachers who are new to the profession (in their first year of teaching), but also teachers new to a grade level, school, or system, or those returning after extensive sabbaticals.

Links to Licensure

One way participation may be mandated is through links to licensure and accreditation. Many APEC members require participation in teacher induction programs for teachers to become fully certified or appointed to permanent positions in their systems. The requirements of participation necessary for accreditation vary according to the individual program. In the United States, beginning teachers undergo evaluations in many teacher induction programs, which determine their continued teaching eligibility. In Chinese Taipei, teacher preparation graduates must successfully complete a one-year internship to become fully licensed and eligible for continued employment.

Duration and Timing

APEC members find commonality in the timing of teacher induction activities, with nearly all members conducting their programs during school hours, or during and after school hours. When induction activities occur during school hours, many programs offer release-time⁸ to beginning teachers who participate.

Effects of Participation

² Although Indonesia has no teacher induction program, its general professional development strategies and ideals will serve as the basis of any response described here for Indonesia.

³ All quotes attributed to members are taken from the documents submitted by APEC members in response to the survey. We reference the responding agencies and persons, by member, at the end.

⁴ The six members were not all included in the general rubric of "member-level authority" above, principally because not all of these member governments exert control over teacher induction, despite their level of involvement in this initial aspect.

⁵ In Australia, schools receive funding from the member government (for teacher salaries) and provincial governments (for their teacher induction activities). In the Independent and Catholic sectors, teacher induction programs may be funded at the school level.

⁶ In Papua New Guinea, teacher induction is decided and carried out mainly at the school level. However, there is an Inspection Program that undergirds teacher induction and that is organized and financed at the member level.

⁷ Information on this topic was not provided for Canada and Japan.

⁸ Release-time excuses teachers from class, without losing pay, to attend teacher induction activities (and is the main support given to beginning teachers across APEC members).
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[Chapter 1: APEC Teacher Induction Study: Introduction and Methodology]

[Chapter 2 (part 2 of 3)]